Lockets

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small ornamental case or pendant often worn on a necklace, typically containing a picture or a memento inside
2. A decorative piece of jewelry, generally opening to reveal a space for a personal keepsake or photograph
3. A type of enclosed ornament that is worn around the neck, designed to hold cherished items or imagery within its compartment

Etymology: The concept of a small, decorative container worn as jewelry to hold keepsakes dates back centuries, with the specific term for such objects emerging in English around the 16th or 17th century. The word in question is a diminutive form derived from "locket," itself originating from the Middle English "loket," which meant a small lock or a fastening. This earlier sense reflects the container’s defining feature: its ability to securely close, much like a lock, safeguarding the treasured items inside. The root "lock" comes from Old English "loc," meaning a fastening or enclosure, and it conveyed the idea of something that holds or secures. Adding the diminutive suffix "-et," common in Middle English and influenced by Old French, transformed the word into "locket," implying a smaller version of a lock or a little container that locks. Early lockets were often used to hold miniature portraits, locks of hair, or other sentimental keepsakes. Their popularity grew during the Renaissance and into the Victorian era, when mourning jewelry became customary, and lockets would sometimes contain a deceased loved one’s hair or photograph as a token of remembrance. By the time the plural form appeared, the word had firmly established itself in English to denote these personal, intimate objects. The plural simply adds the standard English suffix "-s," indicating more than one of these small, lockable containers worn close to the heart.

Synonyms: pendants, locket, charms, medallions, case